A farrier is an equine professional that trims, balances,
and shoes horses' hooves. It is not
quite the same as a blacksmith who makes the shoes; however, most farriers
shape shoes to the hooves of the horses.
Wouldn't it be nice to have custom-made shoes every month?
Kurt Klein has been a farrier for nearly 40 years, and despite the
hard work, still enjoys his job. Klein
was always interested in working with horses, so in 1971 he traveled from
upstate New York to Virginia where he spent 12 weeks in farrier school. Upon completion of his studies, he
apprenticed with the school owner's son for two years.
Tools of the Trade
Klein drives a 2008 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, the
back of which is a portable workshop custom-built to his specifications. The doors on the sides and rear swing up when
he is open for business. A forge swings
out to heat the shoes and an anvil is placed on the ground to shape them. On
one side is a drill press to put holes in shoes that will need studs (like
athlete's cleats), a vise, and torches for applying tungsten carbide (this provides
extra grip for winter shoes).
A small cart is easily taken from the rear of the truck to
the horse. The cart contains various tools needed to work on the horses'
hooves, a leather cutter (for horses that need pads for support), and hoof
medications. "I carry an array of
different shoes, in different metals and different sizes, for different
applications," said Klein. There are
also horse shoe nails fo r fastening them on. Last but not least are Klein's
leather work apron and a hoof stand for the horse to rest its foot while it is
being worked on.
Heavy Lifting
Klein's average day lasts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. including
travel. During that time he normally works on 4-to-10 horses per day.
His clientele includes all breeds of horses, but he's been working
on a barn with Clydesdales
for 30 years. Each Clydesdale weighs
nearly 2,000 pounds and it takes about 45 minutes to trim and shape its
hooves. These are the largest of the
horses among his approximately 100 human clients – and most own more than one
horse.
Watch and Learn!
Click the link below to watch Klein demonstrate how to trim
and shoe a horse's hoof!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUpDpFoSegw
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